MINING NEWS.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 376, 23 July 1903, Page 5

MINING NEWS.

Notwithstanding the exceptionally severe frosts of the past week, the rivet* has fallen but slowly since the rise occasioned 07 the raius preceding the ; snow storm. The height at the Alexandra bridge last evening was sft above the " normal" mark. The river in still too high to admit of the gorge dredges resuming, even if they, could get coal—which they cannot, owing to the state of the roads. If a heavy thaw should set in, it is problematical whether the gorge dredge will be able to do any more work this season. There is an enormous quantity of snow lying on comparatively low country, and the melting of this would keep up the height of the river to an unworkable degree. In consequence of the severe frost, dredging operations were entirely suspended hist Friday. One or two dredges have recommenced work,and others will probably get going in a day or two. In many cases, pipes were burst with the frost, and this is causing delay in reBurning work. The hydraulic pipes of the Golden Beach Company were burst in several places by the frost. The Alexandra Lead dredge resumed work on Monday, as also did the Earnscleugh No 2. The Dunstan Lead dredge resumed work yesterday. The Unity dredge resumed work last evening, after several days' stoppage on account of the frost.

The Davis Bend No 2 resumed work yesterday. The Gabriel's Gully dredge sank on Saturday morning last

The Lady Charlton Go's dredge was sold at auction last Saturday for' £525. It was found necessary, owing to the accident to the Chicago dredge's ladder, to cut off a portion in order to get it free. Repairs are now being made at the local foundry, and the dredge will be able to make another start in a week or ten days. The directors of the Hartley and , Riley Beach Dredging Company submit their sixth annual report and consider that they are fairly justified in congratulating shareholders on the result of the year's operations. The amount of gold won was 2,3900z 13dwt 23gr, yielding £9,328 3s 6d,and £5,687 10s was paid in dividends, making exactly £lO per £1 ehare, or a total of £65,000 distributed amongst shareholders since the, .formation, of the company. During the year considerable alterations have been made to the dredge, which is now, the directors have every reason to believe, in a condition to effectively work any portion of the claim. The ladder, which was found to be too short, besides having done a lot of hard work resulting in the necessity *of extensive repairs, has been replaced by an entirely new one capable of dredging Bft deeper than the old one, and a new and powerful engine has been put on board. Messrs James Whit bourn and R. T. Wheeler, junr., are the retiring? directors, and being eligible offer themselves for re-election. Mr, met G. Fenwick, the auditor, also retire-but is eligible for re-election, j :|h The following ia from She "Mount Benger Mail":—Some of the dredges have been frozen King had to stop o* Wednesday night for half an hoar, and to restart owing to the frost getting a grip of her.—The Roxburgh Jubilee dredge has been moved up the river some distance this week, as the place where she was operating proved poor. —Work in the Roxburgh Amalgamated, the Ladysmith, and the other sluicing claims in the district has been stopped owing to the severe frost blocking the water supply. The following items are from the "Cromwell Argus":—Mr W Kitto left for the West Coast last week, where he has obtained the position of dredgemaster on the Premier Butler dredge.—The two Electrics were dredging last week in spite of the high river, but had to close down on Thursday on account of the frost.—The Oibbston was closed down last week, but it is reported to have struck good gold after breaking through a hard bottom She started again on Monday.—Mr Fleming who has the contract for dismantling the Kawarau Bridge dredge, has his staff of men on the ground, but no work can be done en account of the frost.—The Grand Junction 1 had to cease operations owing to the masses of snow washing down the Nevis. It took one of the shifts last week six hours to get off the dredge through the snow.

A meeting of directors of the New Golden Gravel Company was held at Dunedin on Monday night to consider the position of the dredge. Mr Barnes (the dredgemasrer) was present, and there was a full attendance of directors. The Chairman and Messrs Phillips and Cotton reported that they had visited the dredge, and that in conjunction with the dredgemaster every effort bad been made to lift the ladder, but so far without success. Mr Barnes also explained the position, and it was decided to get the dredge in a safe position meantime and call shareholders together to decide what is to be done. UPPER CLUffIA. (From our own correspondent) The dredges on the upper reaches of the river, i.e., the PriDce Albert and Gold Chain, are at present stopped. A little gold, but not sufficient to pay, has been got by the latter, but this proves nothicg about the river at that place, for be it known that the dredge has never bottomed, being far too small for the task undertaken. The same mistake was made by Mr Crookston on the Rise and Shine claim. He worked on the top of the main wash}

but could liot make it pay, and left one of the best dredging claims in Otago (or anywhere else, perhaps), for others to reap a rich hj <rvest. Near the Lowburn the Rising Sun is rapidly nearing completion, and hefore next month is over, will take an active interest, in turning a portion of the Olutha upside down. Further up, dredge-building will shortly be commenced, the Upper Magnetic being destined to try for better luck than it h*d on the Kawarau. The dismantling of this dredge should .have commenced last week, but on account of New Zealand slipping her cables, and taking a cruise to the South Pole, no work could possibly be done in that direction ; but as soon as the weather geta better no time will be lost in shifting this dredge to'the Golden Reserve claim on the' Clutha. The second dredge for the Rise and Shine is also nearing completion.

DREDGING RETURNS. The following are the returns for the week ending Saturday, July 18th, 1903: oz dwt grs Mystery Flat, Waikaia. ... 84 3 20 Earnsclengh No 2. Alexandra 112h 66 10 0 Enterprise No 1. Alexandra ... 35 11 18 Muddy Creek, Waikaia, wk ... 30 *0 0 Upper Waipori, Waipori. 139 hr... 27 0 0 Cromwell No. 2, Cromwell ... 25 5 0 Sneddon's Freehold, Waikaka. wk 25 0 0 Dunstan Lead, Alexandra. 3dys 24 0 0 Earnsclengh No 1, Alexandra, 128h 22 5 0 Waikaka, Waikaka, 119hrs ... 2110 0 Inch Valley, near Palmerston ... 21 0 0 Golden Treasure, Miller's Flat, w'k 20 0 0 Success,Waipori ... ....20 0 0 Waimumn, near Gore, ... .19 12 0 Inchdale. near Palmerstoa, ... IS g 0 Happy Valley. Tnapeka. wk 18 6 0 .Gabriel, Tuapeka f Flat... ... 18 3 0 MacCharlton, near Gore, 136hrs 17 10 0 Central Charlton, near Gore, 137 hr 16 7 q Mae and Shine, Up'er Clutha ... 15 1 n Reliance, Tuapeka Flat ... 15 0 0 Waimumu Extended, Gore 13 7 0 Enfield, Waipori, ,--.'.." ... 12 0 0 Cromwell No 1, Cromwell .. 9 3 0 Moa No 2, Alexandra, ... 710 0: Hessey's Waikaia '■"... ... 7 0 0 Total for 26 dredges ... 609 12 14